Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which external organisations David Lock KC has spoken to as part of his role advising Ministers on the costs of clinical negligence.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. He has engaged a number of stakeholders to date and will continue to consult. His work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.

The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.